Branna (McCarty) Shores
Branna Shares Buzz on BizTown!
Fancy our forefathers’ fundamental formula for success: finish school, tackle a trade, secure a stable job and build a good life. They knew the need was certain for everything from sales to seamstresses, grocers to gas attendants, bankers to brokers (‘get where this is going?) Then comes the tempestuous uptick in technology and the work…
Read MoreBranna Shares Grief, Transition of Losing a Parent
I did not write the words below, and I cannot for the life of me figure out who did. But these words found me right where I’m at in my life. My passion and purpose is to provide light reading that is hopefully informative with a fun twist. But I named this column “Can You…
Read MoreBranna Takes Wrong Kind of Trip
What’s black and blue and hurts all over? Well, that would be my face, neck, shoulder and left wrist! It may be spring break, but my trip wasn’t to the Bahamas. It was to the ER. Yes, late Saturday night, I became a statistic. Falls are a leading cause of injury-related death and hospitalization, particularly among…
Read MoreNO FOOLIN’ – Fun Facts Stranger Than Fiction
Buckle up and prepare to be boggled! I have a curious collection of beguiling books gathered throughout my many thrifting expeditions. Recently I came across my hardy hardcover – National Geographic’s 5,000 Awesome Facts (About Everything!) I brushed off the dust and dug into some delightful data, tons of tidbits, wacky wonders and so much more. Want to…
Read MoreBranna’s Profound Platform for Purposefulness
Branna’s Profound Platform for Purposefulness At age 65, Colonel Harland Sanders established the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise and Laura Ingalls Wilder began writing the “Little House on the Prairie” series. Grandma Moses didn’t earnestly aspire to her artistry until her mid-70s. Today, ardent aging adults are achieving goals and pursuing passions like never before. I…
Read MoreTaking Care of the Caregiver
More than 50 million people provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aging family member during any given year. Whoever said that family matters must stay out of the workplace has never been a caregiving family member. So just who are these folks who are juggling responsibilities in the workplace as well as their…
Read MoreBranna’s Mad About March
A brain as wild as a March hare and marching to the beat of a different drum … well, enough about me! Let’s talk about the month of March’s myriad of milestones! The noun “march” means “a steady, rhythmic walk.” The verb “march” has one walking with regular, measured steps. The month of March is…
Read MoreAmy, Emily & Branna Dive Into Etiquette, Grace
What comes to mind when you think of the words finishing school?! The final bell at the end of the school day? Secondary education or post-graduate studies? Do you even think about it at all? I know I sure didn’t as a young teen until my mom handed me the huge, hardbound Bible of best…
Read MoreBranna Celebrates National Schools Week
We’ve got spirit, yes we do! We’ve got spirit, how ’bout you? This week marks National Public Schools Week 2026, celebrating the achievements of public schools, educators and staff. Led by the Learning First Alliance, this annual initiative aims to showcase what’s happening in our public schools, their current challenges, solutions and the ongoing improvement…
Read MoreFrom Ice on Morse to Dreams of Olympic Glory
Think back to age 10. What did you fathom as the fate of your future? Had a notion to be a nurse, a tendency toward teaching or aspirations as an astronaut? For me, I dreamed of becoming the next Dorothy Hamill. Every weekend, I strapped on the best Christmas gift ever – a pair of real leather…
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